N. Yorks businesswoman faces H&S charges.

A North Yorkshire businesswoman has appeared in court in London accused of health and safety charges after the manager of a Clapham launderette died from carbon monoxide poisoning.

Caroline Whalley, 58, was summonsed to court in October under 2007 Construction Regulations after the death of Muhammad Javid Butt at Taniya Dry Cleaners, Wandsworth Road, Clapham, on October 5, 2013.

Whalley, of Maidensworth Farm, Rape Close Lane in Gilling East, near Ampleforth, is charged with failing to take reasonable steps to ensure construction work can be carried out without risk to health and safety. She did not enter a plea.

A co-defendant, Keith Morris, 65, of Ackland House, Beckenham, did not appear at the Old Bailey to face charges of gross negligence manslaughter and failure to take reasonable care of an employee under the Health and Safety at Work Act.

Both he and Caroline Whalley are on conditional bail.

Construction firm 6699 Limited, whose representatives were in court, is accused of breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act by failing to ensure staff are not exposed to risk.

All the defendants are due to appear in court for a plea and case management hearing on December 9. A trial date has not yet been set.

The contents of this article are intended for general information purposes only and shall not be deemed to be, or constitute legal advice. We cannot accept responsibility for any loss as a result of acts or omissions taken in respect of this article.